Author: Luo Tian-Yi, 羅天益
Year: Yuan Dynasty
Source: Precious Mirror of Health (Wei Sheng Bao Jian, 衛生寶鑒)
Category: Formulas that Expel Wind
Pattern: Wind-Phlegm harassing the upper body
Key Symptoms: Hemiplegia, deviated eyes and mouth, difficult speech
Ingredients
Tian Ma
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Pinyin: Tian Ma
Chinese: 天麻
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Gastrodiae
Taxonomy: Gastrodia elata
English: Gastrodia Rhizome
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Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Extinguishes Wind, calms the Liver and stops spasms and tremors
Liver Wind due to either Heat or Cold with headache, dizziness, childhood convulsions, epilepsy, tonic-clonic spasms, opisthotonos, tetany and Wind-stroke
- Extinguishes Wind, subdues Rising Liver Yang and alleviates pain
Wind-Phlegm patterns with headaches, dizziness and migraines Wind-stroke with hemiplegia, dizziness and numbness in the extremities Can be used for both Excess and Deficiency conditions
- Disperses Wind-Damp Bi
Pain and numbness of the lower back and extremities due to Wind-Damp Bi
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: This plant is endangered and any supplies should be accompanied by CITES certification. |
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Ban Xia
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Pinyin: Ban Xia
Chinese: 半夏
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Pinelliae
Taxonomy: Pinellia ternata
English: Pinellia Rhizome
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Tastes: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs (cough with copious sputum)
Especially effective for Damp-Phlegm of the Spleen (Cold-Damp Stagnation)
- Descends Rebellious Qi and stops vomiting (harmonizes the Stomach)
Vomiting due to Phlegm-Damp in the Stomach (Tan Yin), Cold thin mucus, Stomach Deficiency, Stomach Heat or pregnancy
- Dissipates nodules and reduces Stagnation (clumps)
Phlegm in the chest (nodules, pressure, distention, pain)
Phlegm nodules in the neck (goiter, scrofula)
Focal distension in the chest and epigastrium
Obstruction caused by Phlegm anywhere in the body
- Treats sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles and reduces swelling (external)
Topically as a powder for sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated to Wu Tou. Use with cautions during gestation.
Must be processed before use as raw Ban Xia is toxic. Ingesting the raw form can cause severe irritation of the mouth, pharynx, and gastrointestinal tracts, and has toxic effects on the nervous system. Symptoms of toxicity include a dry mouth, numbness of the tongue, gastric discomfort, burning sensations and swelling of the mouth, tongue, throat and salivation. In serious cases ingesting Ban Xia can result in hoarseness, spasms, dyspnoea and asphyxia. |
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Fu Ling
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Pinyin: Fu Ling
Chinese: 茯苓
Pharmaceutical: Poria
Taxonomy: Poria cocos syn. Wolfiporia extensa
English: China-Root / Hoelen / Tuckahoe / Indian Bread
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Tastes: Sweet, bland, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Spleen, and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Strengthens the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
Spleen Deficiency Dampness with anorexia, diarrhoea and epigastric distention
- Strengthens the Spleen
Phlegm Dampness due to Spleen Deficiency with thin mucus in which Phlegm moves upward manifesting as palpitations, headache, dizziness and a thick, greasy tongue coat
- Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
Urinary difficulty, diarrhoea or oedema due to Stagnation of Fluids or Dampness
- Quiets the Heart, calms the Spirit and soothes the nerves
Palpitations, insomnia or forgetfulness due to either Spleen and Heart Insufficiency or Internal Obstruction of Turbid Phlegm
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Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for spermatorrhea due to deficiency-cold. |
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Bai Zhu
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Pinyin: Bai Zhu
Chinese: 白朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephalae
Taxonomy: Atractylodes macrocephala
English: Largehead Atracylodes Rhizome
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Tastes: Sweet, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with diarrhoea, fatigue, a sallow complexion and lack of appetite
Spleen Yang failure to rise
- Dries Dampness and promotes water metabolism
Spleen Damp or accumulation of fluids affecting the digestion
Edema and reduced urination due to Spleen Deficiency (failure to transform and transport)
Tan Yin, masses, swelling
Auxiliary for Damp painful obstruction
- Stabilizes the Exterior and stops sweating
Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating (Wei Qi Deficiency)
With appropriate herbs, other types of sweating
- Calms the fetus
Restless fetus disorder due to Spleen Qi Deficiency
With appropriate herbs, other types of Restless Fetus Disorder
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Standard Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with cautions in cases of yin deficiency with fluid injury by dryness-heat pathogen. |
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Preparation: Grind equal amounts into a fine powder and take in 3-4g doses as a draft with decocted Sheng Jiang.
Actions: Strengthens the Spleen, dispels Dampness, transforms Phlegm, extinguishes Wind
Notes:
This is essentially the same as Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang without Ju Hong, Gan Cao and Da Zao. Its pathomechanism is identical meaning these two can be considered interchangeable.
Research Links:
Reference Notes: (click to display)
Most formulas are found in Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet (2009): Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies and Chen & Chen (2015) Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. Others are from translations of primary sources. It is recommended that the original material is cross-referenced for mistakes and additional information.
Substitutions have been taken from Ken Lloyd & Prof. Leung (2004): Mayway UK Substitution List or the above publications and are intended as suggestions to help navigate the tight restrictions in the UK quickly. More applicable substitutions may be appropriate in specific situations.
Individual herb information has initially been sourced from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.